Fern
by kimpfn
Summary: There's a new girl at Kurama's school, and she seems to have a strange connection with plants that intrigues him...Chapter Four: A Strange Day...In Fern's POV...R&R!
1. Default Chapter

Yes, I know that you all are probably wondering when I will stop writing Kurama/OC fics, but this is another one!! 

  


A good one, hopefully!

  


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*Chapter One*

  


"Class, we have a new student with us today." The teacher's voice announced broadly to all the students who were busy working on their algebra worksheets diligently. 

  


Most students didn't even bother to look up, too intent on finishing in time for lunch, but Kurama took a second to raise his head. 

  


"This is Fern." The teacher said, putting a comforting hand on the shoulder of an unfamiliar girl standing nervously in front of the room. 

  


Kurama noticed her strange violet eyes right away. They seemed to have life of their own, as light bounced off of them and reflected the surroundings. She also had long straight red hair which seemed to curl at the ends. A nervous frown was set in stone on her face as she glanced around the room, looking like she would rather be anywhere but there. 

  


"Fern, why don't you sit there?" The teacher pointed to the empty desk in front of Kurama. As she nervously scurried down the aisle and sat down slowly, she kept rubbing her free hand over a small gold pin clipped onto her blouse. 

  


"Hello." Kurama whispered. He always tried to make new students feel welcome. 

  


Fern didn't answer. As the teacher handed her a worksheet, she looked over to the window, and her gaze did not leave or wander from it. As Kurama eyed her curiously, wondering if she was even going to start her worksheet, she pushed it carelessly to the floor. 

  


"That plant..." She whispered, pointing to the small vine resting on the windowsill. It was supposed to be a class project, but no matter what they tried, the plant would just not grow. A few weeks after buying it, the class abandoned the experiment and left it where it was. It now was starting to wilt from a lack of water. 

  


"What about it?" He whispered back, wondering why her eyes seemed to be fixated on the small plant. 

  


"Do you even care for it?" She asked, looking as though she might burst out in tears any second. 

  


"It will not grow, no matter what anyone tries." He said, his eyes wandering to the worksheet that she had brushed to the floor. He bent over and picked it up, handing it back to her. 

  


"You need to work on this." 

  


Fern nodded slightly, and taking one final glance at the vine, began to work...

  


*****************************************************************************

  


"Did you see that new girl? I heard from Leona that she's insane." Kurama heard a group of giggling girls say as they walked by him. 

  


_I don't understand why people feel the urge to make fun of others... _he thought as he made his way out the door to eat lunch. 

  


As he glanced around, he couldn't see Fern anywhere. He had thought to maybe invite him to eat lunch with him since it was her first day, but she didn't seem to be there. 

  


_That's odd..._He thought as he settled down on the ground. _Oh well..._

  


_******************************************************************************_

  


As Kurama walked into the classroom, he noticed a large group of students and even some teachers gathered around the windowsill eagerly. 

  


"What's going on?" He asked a fellow classmate who was struggling to see. 

  


"Haven't you heard? The plant has blossomed!" He screamed excitedly. 

  


"What?" Kurama cried, "But how?" 

  


The boy just shrugged. "Nobody knows. When we all left for lunch, it was exactly the same as it had always been, but now..." 

  


There was a break in the crowd suddenly, and Kurama seized the chance, squeezing through to see the plant. When he finally caught sight of it, he could scarcely believe that this was the same vine that he had just seen that morning. It was lush and green now, and even had small white flowers adorning it beautifully. 

  


_But how can this be? Nothing's changed..._He suddenly felt his eyes being tugged over to the desks and noticed immediately that Fern was sitting comfortably in her seat, her frown replaced with a contented smile. 

  


As he cautiously made his way over to her, she seemed to be fingering her pin again, staring at it intently. 

  


"Did...did you do that?" Kurama asked, pointing to the plant. 

  


She didn't answer him, but instead sighed happily. She quickly got up from her desk and left the room, glancing at the plant once more before she left. 

  


As Kurama wondered why she had left so abruptly, a flash of gold on the floor caught his eye. 

  


_Oh, she dropped her pin...I wonder what sort of pin it is..._He bent down and picked it up carefully, examining it. He was very surprised by what was in his hands...

  


A gold rose. 

  


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Yes, this beginning stinks...but I'm hoping it will get better. 

  


REVIEWS!!! 


	2. A Secret Power And A New Mission

Hello!!! Continue to read!!

  


Sorry this took so long, I've been real busy with Miss Independent. 

  


IMPORTANT NOTE: I have decided that I'm not going to make this a romance. I just have too many ideas for this one and romance would just get in the way. So, it will now be PURELY friendship. FRIENDSHIP. 

  


Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I do own Fern, Kirya, Gika, Meia, Himoko, and Kali. 

  


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The school bell rang, much to the delight of many weary students. The front doors were flooded immediately with teenagers wanting to get home as soon as possible. Fern was among them, even though home was not her destination. She walked with small hurried steps, swinging her leather book bag playfully, a bright smile replacing the frown she had worn inside the school. 

  


Kurama was also leaving, and was about to begin the journey to his own house when he suddenly remembered that Fern's golden rose pin was still resting in his pocket. He hurriedly glanced around, and spotted her turning the corner at the intersection. He decided that he might as well return her pin, and began to walk in the same direction she had gone. 

  


He knew that he should just run up and give it to her, but there was a small tugging in his mind that was still reminding him about the plant on the windowsill. _There is no possible way that a plant could grow in a solitary hour.....There's something....different about her....Maybe I could just see where she's going..._

  


So, he walked a small distance behind her, trying to act like he was just walking home. Fern was heading towards town, still swinging her book bag. Kurama started to wonder if she was going to the grocery store or something like that, but she passed every major building on her route.

  


She was beginning to near the edge of town and still was not slowing her pace any. _There's nothing down here...except the greenhouse...._Kurama thought. _Maybe she's going there..._

  


His prediction was fulfilled when she strolled through the entrance, looking around wildly with a light of happiness in her eyes. She seemed to breathe more wholesomely. 

  


The owner of the greenhouse, busy with some lilies, glanced up and smiled when he noticed Fern. 

  


"So, you are back again." He said, wearing a wry expression. 

  


"Yes, and I'm terribly sorry, but do you have any..." 

  


"Rose seeds?" 

  


"Yes, if it's not too much trouble." 

  


The owner just stared at her for a moment, and then starting to laugh, picked out a bag of rose seeds and handed them to her. 

  


"You just moved here two days ago, and already you've been here ten times and have always asked for the same thing. What is this fascination with roses? 

  


Fern didn't answer, but just rummaged the last of her money together, and shoved it into the owner's hands. "Thank-you." 

  


She turned and scurried out of the greenhouse, but instead of going back into town, she made a sharp turn and began to walk into the forest, grasping the bag of seeds tightly. 

  


Kurama, who had been waiting for her to emerge, quickly started after her, but still keeping a distance.

  


******************************************************************************

  


_I didn't even know the forest was this big...._

  


He had been following Fern for the past half-hour, and still she showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. 

  


_I'm going to have to turn around soon, I'm never going to be able to find my way back..._

  


Suddenly, a ray of sunlight shone right into his eyes. Holding up a hand to shield himself, he suddenly noticed that the small path had opened up into a clearing. A clearing that was truly amazing, spellbounding. Not wanting to be seen, he quickly ducked behind a nearby bush and then began to let his eyes wander around the garden that he had come to. 

  


It seemed to be filled to the brim with hundreds and thousands of roses, all different colors and designs. What was the most noticeable, though, was that in the center, there was a circle of beautiful red roses. He then noticed Fern, who had laid her book bag aside, walk slowly to this circle and then settle onto the ground just outside it. She then carefully opened the pouch of rose seeds and pulled one out. She cupped it in her hand and closed her eyes. 

  


Kurama started to wonder what she was doing until her hands suddenly began to glow, emitting a green light. The small seed suddenly began to shake and then burst and began to grow, right there in her hand. Not wasting any time, she quickly dug a small hole using the hand that was not holding the growing rose and then quickly planted it. It suddenly stopped growing and was now the exact same size as all the other roses. 

  


Fern repeated this procedure with all of the other seeds until she had twenty identical roses adding on to her circle. 

  


_She is definitely not normal...._

  


He suddenly lost his footing on his right foot and accidentally stepped on a small branch. The crunch filled the entire clearing. He saw Fern cock her head abruptly. 

  


She cautiously pulled herself up and looked around. "Who's there?" 

  


_Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to reveal myself..._Kurama slowly stood up from the bush. "Hi." 

  


She just stared at him blankly.

  


"Here, I was just wanting to return this. You dropped it." He said, extending his hand which held her pin. 

  


She snatched it out of his hand and then glared at him. "What did you see?" 

  


"What?" 

  


"I said, what did you see?" 

  


"I didn't see anything." 

  


Fern knew that nobody could see her powers. No one could ever see them again. Even though he denied it, she knew that this boy in front of her had witnessed everything. _Everything is ruined..._

  


"LEAVE." She screamed, pointing down the beaten path leading back to town. "JUST LEAVE." 

  


Even though Kurama was a little confused by her, he turned and began to walk away slowly, casting occasional glances back at her to see that she had collapsed onto the ground and was now crying. 

  


_What happened? What did I do? _

  


_******************************************************************************_

  


"Kurama?? Kurama?!?!?! KURAMA!!" 

  


The agitated tone in the voice caused Kurama to snap out of his daze, and he realized that he had been staring at the wall, still thinking about what had happened that afternoon with Fern. He looked down at his desk, where he was sitting. His homework sheet was blank. 

  


"Hello, over here!!!" 

  


Kurama turned his head to look at the window. 

  


"Hello Botan." He said, trying to sound happy. 

  


Botan sat on the windowsill comfortably, her oar in her hands. Kurama noticed that she looked slightly frazzled. 

  


"You know, you really shouldn't have a tree right next to your window." She said in a dazed voice, "I nearly crashed into it." 

  


She shook her head. "Yes, but that's not the point. Koenma has an assignment and he says that it's urgent. I didn't get the whole story but it's something about a murderer. Someone powerful. So get going!!!" 

  


Kurama sighed quietly. "Okay." He would finish his homework some other time. 

  


Botan mounted her oar and was about to take off when she abruptly turned her head to look back at Kurama. "Oh, and if you see Hiei, tell him that he needs to come to, okay??" 

  


Kurama nodded. 

  


She smiled brightly. "See you there!!" She was gone in a matter of seconds. 

  


Kurama turned and slipped the sheet of paper back into his desk drawer. "I wonder where Hiei is.." He thought outloud. 

  


"I'm right here." 

  


Kurama turned his head to the direction the cold voice had come from and saw that where Botan had been sitting just minutes ago was now occupied by Hiei. 

  


Kurama smiled slightly. "Hello." He finished organizing his homework sheets as Hiei watched with faint interest. 

  


"I was listening the entire time." 

  


"I know." 

  


"A murderer." Hiei said quietly. "This could be something worthwhile for once." 

  


Kurama's smile grew. "Just might." 

  


His closed his desk drawer for good and turned to Hiei. "Well, better get going then..." 

  


******************************************************************************

  


"Glad you could join us, children." Yusuke said jokingly as Kurama and Hiei entered Koenma's office. 

  


"Yeah, seems like we've been waiting forever." Kuwabara said, smiling goofily. Botan, who was leaning against the wall, nodded in agreement to Kuwabara's words. 

  


The group then turned to face the large red chair behind the large desk, which had its back to them. 

  


"Okay Koenma, we're all here. Now tell us what this big, important mission is!!!" Yusuke whined eagerly, folding his arms.

  


"Patience is a virtue, Yusuke." A voice floated from the large swivel chair. It spun around abruptly to reveal the prince of Spirit World, who was looking a bit angry and disgruntled. "So keep your pants on and I will!!" He said angrily. 

  


Koenma jumped from the chair onto his desk and stood there for a moment, eyeing all of them. He then took a deep breath. "First of all, are any of you familiar with Rose Demons?" 

  


Kurama and Hiei both nodded, but Yusuke and Kuwabara shared the same confused expression. 

  


"Pardon?" Yusuke said faintly, scratching his head. 

  


Koenma let out a heavy sigh. "They are an extinct race of demon which were wiped out centuries ago. Get with the program, you two!" 

  


"Oh, right, I was just about to say that..." Kuwabara whispered, even though what Koenma had said looked like it was about the farthest thing from his mind. 

  


"And do you know why they became extinct?" He said in an exasperated voice. 

  


Kurama and Hiei now joined the two in slight confusion. "I never quite understood how..." Kurama said, looking deep in thought. 

  


"They were killed off." Koenma whispered plainly. "By Kirya." 

  


"I've heard of her." Hiei said, "She was a legend among demons." 

  


"Exactly. Until we caught her. She was put in solitary confinement down in the Makai world." 

  


"I don't get it." Yusuke moaned angrily, "Why would any demon want to kill off another race of demons?? And how could someone manage to do that anyway??" 

  


"Well, it goes back centuries ago..." Koenma started slowly...

  


****

  


_"Kirya, we have told you once, we will tell you again, you have no business with us, we will not give them to you!" Gika screamed angrily, pointing a finger to the path leading away from the small village, "Now leave!!!" _

  


_"But Gika, you must understand," Kirya began in a cautious voice as she casually brushed her golden hair aside, "Your golden rose pins are visions of beauty, and they hold so much power!! I could give you anything, anything at all for them..." _

  


_"Maybe I didn't make myself clear." Gika growled, holding up a hand, containing a solitary black rose seed, "Our pins are everything, and you can not have a single one...Now leave before I decide that killing you would be a better option." _

  


_Kirya's polite smile was quickly turning into a frown, but she was desperate for the golden rose, and glanced around for something she could use against the rose demons. She noticed a small demon child, playing innocently with a small rose seed, not more than five feet away. _

  


_"You know, Gika, you shouldn't make threats like that." She said, trying to move non-conspicuously over to the child, "What if I told you that by refusing me the pins, you are endangering the lives of your own children?" _

  


_Gika suddenly noticed Kirya's movements toward the young one, but it was too late for action. In a flash, Kirya was hoisting the little girl up in the air, swinging her playfully. _

  


_"Let her go, Kirya!!" Gika cried desperately, lowering the hand that held the black seed. "Set her down now!!" _

  


_"I don't think so. Not until I get the rose pins I need." She raised her free hand and ran it softly over the child's face. She laughed when the small rose demon let out a small cry of fright. But the laughter stopped abruptly when a slender green vine wrapped tightly around her throat. It had just seemed to appear out of nowhere._

  


_"Set her down or I will kill you." Another rose demon had appeared besides Gika, a look of hatred glowing in her eyes. The vines were protruding from her stomach, but it seemed to cause her no pain. _

  


_Gulping, Kirya dropped the child, who scurried away quickly. The demon cautiously removed the vine from her throat, and they seemed to melt back into her stomach. _

  


_Kirya growled, massaging her neck carefully. "One day, Gika. One day, I will return. You, your race, your children, your family, all will perish. And then I will have the power I crave for." She began to back away, still wearing a angry expression. "One day..." She then seemed to melt into the forest, disappearing into the trees. _

  


_Gika turned to the anonymous rose demon, wearing a nervous expression. "You don't think that she's actually capable of that ,do you Meia?" _

  


_"Empty threats, Gika. Empty threats." Meia scoffed, beginning to walk away. Gika turned to follow, but not before casting one look back at the forest path..._

  


_******_

  


"And she followed through with it, didn't she?" Kurama asked sadly. 

  


Koenma nodded sullenly. "Kirya returned with her minions, hundreds of demons, and a full-fledged war broke out." There was a long pause of silence. "All rose demons were killed brutally." 

  


The room was filled with a eery silence. 

  


"How awful..." Botan muttered, staring at the ground. 

  


"What happened to Kirya?" Kuwabara asked, staring at Koenma with a mournful look. 

  


"She took all of the golden rose pins for herself and escaped. As you might imagine, this was a horrendous crime, and a reward was offered for her capture. We finally caught her hiding out at the edge of the Makai world, and she was put in solitary confinement, where she stayed for over three hundred years. Until now." 

  


"She escaped a few weeks ago, and left a note." Koenma muttered, sounding more puzzled than before. He rummaged around his desk for a minute before holding up a small piece of paper. He handed it to Yusuke, who's eyes skimmed over the words for a moment. 

  


"I don't get it."

  


He passed it to Kurama, who studied the page carefully. Scribbled in big, bold letters were the words. 

  


_She will perish, and I will finally collect what's mine. _

  


"I don't understand much either." He said airily, handing the note to Hiei. 

  


"Well, it doesn't matter if you understand or not, the main focus is that she's gone and has been traced to your town!!" 

  


All four heads looked up at Koenma. 

  


"Come again?" Yusuke asked, more confused now than ever. 

  


"Oh yes, I forgot. We've been able to trace Kirya's energy to your town, where we suspect she's hiding, maybe undercover, maybe even masquerading as a human. For what reason, we have no clue. She seems to want something, and will not stop until she gets it." Koenma muttered, beginning to pace back and forth over his desk. 

  


"So tell me," he said, though not looking up, "Have any new faces popped up lately? Hmm?" 

  


"I haven't seen anyone new." Yusuke said, now studying the note once again. 

  


"Me neither." Kuwabara said, peeking over Yusuke's shoulder. 

  


"What about you, Kurama? Anybody new at around your home, or maybe your school?" Koenma asked, looking up at the red-haired kitsune expectantly. 

  


The world _school _brought Kurama to the realization that he had seen some new people appear over the last few weeks. In fact, his school had recieved three new students those past three weeks. 

  


First of all, there was Himoko, a , black-haired, red-eyed, student, who had started at Kurama's school around three weeks ago. She was very outspoken and seemed to match Kirya's personality from what he had heard about her. 

  


Next, there was Kali, a bright, blond-haired girl who was very quiet but became quite the show-off when it came to intellectual ability. But the only thing he could really remember about her was that she had scoffed at everyone's behavior about the windowsill plant that had mysteriously grown lusciously after Fern had arrived. 

  


_Fern. _

  


The last new student. The one who had became enraged when he had seen her strange gift. The one who possessed a golden rose pin, which seemed to match the definition of the pin Kirya had wanted for her own. 

  


"Answer me this, Koenma, does Kirya have a strange gift with plants?"

  


Koenma seemed surprised by the question. "Well, the rose pin gives the user the power over plants..." 

  


"Yes, about that...After Kirya's capture, what became of the rose pins she stole?" 

  


"Well, um...we didn't really think of those...so..." Koenma looked very embarrassed. "She still has them." 

  


"Well, that's just great, Koenma." Yusuke said sarcastically. 

  


Meanwhile, Kurama's head was swimming with thoughts. _All the characteristics seem to match. But...Fern just doesn't seem like the murdering type...but Kirya might just be good at hiding her true personality...It could be any of the new students...It might even not be any of them..._

  


"Kurama? What is it?" Koenma brought Kurama back from his thoughts. "Do you have any ideas?" 

  


Sighing, Kurama nodded. "I have a suspect in mind." 

  


Koenma grinned. "Well, that's great!! Who is it?" 

  


Kurama now shook his head. "I don't know for sure, though. Maybe if I investigate a bit first..." 

  


Koenma's smile lessened into thin line. "Well, you do that, but make it snappy, okay?" He turned to face the rest of the group. "And all of you, keep your eyes open!" He sighed, sinking back down from the desk into his chair. "You can leave." 

  


As the group headed towards the exit, Kurama felt sick to his stomach. 

  


_Fern...a murderer?? _

  


_*****************************************************************************_

  


Author

  


Well, Kurama's got some suspects, but it looks like Fern's the main one. What could come from this??? 

  


You'll find out more information about Himoko and Kali also next chapter. 

  


Reviews Please!!! 

  


__

  
  
  



	3. The Death Of A Student

As Kurama pushed open the double doors leading to the main hallway of the school, he noticed that his book bag felt considerably heavier in his hands than normal. His mind was still swimming with thoughts of Kirya, the rose demons, and Fern.

  


As he began to make his way through the sea of chattering students trying to hurriedly finish their conversation before the first bell rang, he raised his eyes from the ground to the to end of the hallway, where he suddenly noticed a red-headed girl with her face buried in a book moving swiftly towards him, the golden rose pin back in place on her blouse. 

  


She seemed to feel his eyes on her and looked up briefly, noticing Kurama immediately. Her eyes growing wide, she immediately made a u-turn, heading in the other direction hurriedly. 

  


Kurama watched her leave, and contemplated whether to go after her and try to make things better. He finally decided that maybe he _should_ explain, and was about to resume his pace, but a voice from behind startled him. 

  


"Cold, isn't she?" 

  


He turned his head slightly to see Himoko, smiling slightly as she also watched Fern hurrying away. "I've tried talking with her, but she wouldn't speak to me." She whispered, brushing her black hair away from her face. "In my opinion, she's a snob." 

  


"Well, that's _your _opinion." Kurama said curtly. He had never really liked Himoko, with her outspoken ways and her instant classifications of people. 

  


"Yes, so why don't you keep them to yourself, Himoko?" A timid voice said quietly, though with a stingy tone to it. Kurama turned around completely to face Himoko and another blond-haired girl, who was casting a scolding glance at Himoko. 

  


"Who asked you, Kali?" Himoko hissed at her angrily. 

  


"Nobody. But I think that you need to stop making such a big deal out of first impressions. And..." She added with a slight smirk. "I don't think you should be calling someone a snob when you're obviously the biggest one in this entire school." 

  


"Oh, you did not just say that, you little...." Himoko snarled, raising her fist. 

  


"You wouldn't dare." Kita whispered, though looking slightly scared. 

  


"Watch me." She growled, starting to move her fist swiftly toward Kali's face. She was about to make contact when a large hand grabbed Himoko's wrist. 

  


"That's quite enough, you two." A young woman teacher said smoothly, glancing between both of them cautiously. She let go of her grasp around Himoko's wrist, which limply fell back to her side. 

  


"Now you both need to stop these little catfights, alright? This is the third one this week." 

  


"Yes, Miss Ruski." Both girls muttered, staring at the ground. 

  


"Good. Now run along." She said, waving her hand. Both girls shot each other one last venomous look and headed off in different directions.

  


Miss Ruski smiled briefly at Kurama and went on her way, down the hall. 

  


Kurama sighed, and continued on his way to his locker....

  


**** 

  


_This is probably the first time that I've ever not payed attention in class..._

  


The teacher's dull voice didn't sound like words, only faded blurs as they reached Kurama's ears. He was too absorbed with the back of Fern's head to be listening to the lesson that was being taught. 

  


_Who are you? _He thought to himself curiously. He watched as Fern raised her hand and ran it her hair in a tense fashion, as if she knew that he was staring at her, but was powerless to do anything about it. She gave her tresses one last brush before allowing her hand to return to the desk. 

  


Something strange, though, caught Kurama's attention flew up slightly for a few seconds and then came back down to rest against her back. He had seen...a flash of green...

  


Leaning forward slightly to see the tips of her hair, he could now see that his vision was indeed correct. Almost completely hidden at the ends of the strands of red hair, was a deep green tint. 

  


"Mr. Minamino?? Mr. Minamino!!!" Kurama suddenly realized that the teacher was calling his own name and glanced up only to stare into the cloudy gray eyes of the teacher, who was glaring at him, his arms crossed impatiently. 

  


"I apologize for not paying attention, sir." He muttered politely. 

  


"Well, Mr. Minamino, maybe you could complete the equation on the board for the class?" The teacher asked with a stingy tone, obviously angry with the red-head. Kurama immediately rose from his seat, embarrassed as the rest of the students stared at him incredulously, and picked up the small piece of white chalk. Being as intelligent as he was, the problem was finished within a minute, and as he set the chalk down and turned back around, the teacher nodded at him. 

  


"Good, now, anyone volunteering to do the next problem?" The teacher asked, and immediately every body in the room slumped down, praying to not be picked. 

  


Kurama, meanwhile, had returned to his seat to continue his study of Fern, but before he had even gotten the chance, her hand flew up into the air. 

  


"Yes, Fern?" The teacher asked, "Would you be willing to complete the next problem?" 

  


"Actually, no, sir..." Fern stated timidly, her hand sinking back down to her side, "I was wondering if I could leave to go to the restroom?" 

  


The teacher just stared at her for a moment, and then nodded his head, sighing. "Make it quick." 

  


"Thank-you, sir." She whispered in a small voice before vacating the area and disappearing out into the hallway.

  


Kurama sighed, angry with himself for not getting a good look at the strange coloring in her hair. After a moment of staring at the door where Fern had just exited, he made the decision to pay attention to the lesson until she returned to class, and then focused on the blackboard....

  


But then five minutes passed, and then it was ten, and then before long, it had almost been half an hour. Another hand suddenly flew into the air.

  


"Yes, Miss Yukisetsu?" The teacher asked rigidly, angry for his lesson being interrupted for the THIRD time. 

  


"Mr. Ukaytauba, Fern's been gone for an awfully long time. Do you think I should go and see if she's alright?" Kali asked in her regular timid tone, a hint of worry for the new girl's well-being in her voice. 

  


Not expecting to be asked that certain question, the teacher was quiet for a few seconds and then finally smiled at the blond-headed teenager. "Why, thank-you, Kali. What a kind gesture. Of course I think you should go check up on Miss Crimson?" 

  


Kurama stiffened up immediately at the mention of Fern's last name. He had never heard it before, and the unusualness of it was beginning to grow in his mind. 

  


_Crimson? Such a strange name...._

  


Meanwhile, Kali, beaming brightly from the teacher's praise, stood up and made her way to the doorway, disappearing from the classroom as well.

  


"Now, back to the math lesson...." 

  


Fifteen more minutes passed in what seemed like mere seconds to Kurama. All of his attention was still focused on the wooden door leading to the hallway. He was waiting for someone to push it open, whether it was Fern and Kali, and explain what had happened to them. But it stayed perfectly still. Everything was calm, the only noise in the room coming from the droning voice of the teacher, and a few assorted whispers from one student to another...

At least, until....

  


An ear-shattering scream suddenly echoed through the halls and into the room, causing every head in the area to glance towards the door in an alarmed fashion. The teacher stopped in mid-sentence as well, wearing a nervous expression. 

  


"I'll be right back, class. Don't try to get too rambunctious while I'm gone." He warned them cautiously before leaving the room to discover whoever had screamed.

  


The minute the door clicked shut behind him, the room was immediately filled with chattering students, wondering mostly about where the scream had come from. After almost twenty more minutes had passed, and no one had returned to the classroom, one male student finally rummaged up enough courage to nervously leave his desk and scurry over to the door, pushing it open gently. 

  


"Oh god....guys, you have to see this!!!" He exclaimed, his voice emitting a mixture of worry and shock. High-pitched screeches from the metal legs of the chairs as they were pushed out from their desks echoed throughout the room as a mad rush of students ran to the door, practically knocking the poor boy over as they barreled past him out into the hallway. Kurama was the last one to leave the room, though he followed his classmates just as well. 

  


At the far end of the hallway, a large congregation of students and teachers alike were gathered close together, all eyes on one thing, which was hidden from view behind their hunched bodies. Murmured whispers filled the air around them, creating a solemn emotion that hung in the air. 

  


Quite eager, the students pushed their way to the front of the crowd, talking excitedly, their light mood clashing with the quiet feeling around them. But when they laid eyes on the cause of all the interruptions, they too grew silent. 

  


Kurama was too stunned to even move, to even _think._

  


A girl's mangled body was strewn messily on the mauve carpet, blood stains surrounding her massacred figure. As the kitsune gazed upon her severed head, he recognized her immediately as the girl he had bumped into just before entering the school, though he had no idea what her name was. 

  


But this wasn't as shocking as what was protruding from the remnants of her body. A luscious crimson rose was softly nestled inside her torn chest cavity, looking as fresh as ever. Like it had just grown not long before...

  


A girl's high-pitched shriek alerted Kurama over to the side of the crowd, where he immediately was able to remember Kali's golden tresses as she sobbed uncontrollably into a handkerchief. 

  


"I...can't believe...this happened...I was just...going to find...Fern..." She suddenly stopped her loud cries, and an angry expression appeared on her face. 

"Mr. Ukaytauba, Fern was the only one in the hallway before me. There was no one else who could of done this...." She spoke to her teacher firmly as he tried to comfort her as best he could. 

  


"Now, Kali, we can't just accuse fellow classmates of such heinous crimes without proper evidence..." He whispered gently. 

  


"But she was THE ONLY ONE out here!! Who else could of done it?? Who??" She protested boldly, her cheeks stained with tears. 

  


Not being able to think of something to say in defense, Mr. Ukaytauba just looked down at the ground, deep in thought over this event. 

  


"Awful, just awful..." Kurama glanced to his other side only to see Himoko, staring at the massacre with a numb expression, shaking her head softly. "Horrible...." 

  


Light footsteps approaching quickly caused the group to glance back at the abandoned hallway, which wasn't empty anymore. Fern's auburn hair caused her to be recognized immediately. She looked confused as she stared at the crowd, still moving towards them. 

  


Everyone had heard Kali's accusation, and with each passing second, it made more and more sense. No other student had been allowed into the hall at that exact time, and some adults had recalled seeing Fern pass them in the hallway, heading in the direction where the girl's body lay..

  


Finally reaching the crowd, her stare flitted around the group nervously, from each worried face to another. Everyone was staring at her expectantly, as though waiting for her to pull a huge butcher knife out of her pocket and start chopping them into little pieces. The teacher finally broke the silence. 

  


"Fern..." That was all he could manage to say, reluctant to approach her. The curious expression on her face grew, and she glanced from the teacher over to the crowd again, her violet eyes finally landing on Kurama. They rested on him for a few seconds, as if wanting him to explain what was going on. 

  


Kurama wasn't sure of exactly what he thought. All of the clues seemed to fit together perfectly: Fern was the only one in the hallway who would of had enough time and still leave the scene before anyone else approached, she had been seen in this area right before it happened, and the rose...

  


Even though no one else knew it, the rose was what caused the red-head to stand out the most in the sea of suspects. She was the one....the only one....

  


"Fern....we need an honest answer to the question that you're about to be asked." Mr. Ukaytauba had finally managed to talk to the girl, though he was treating her like a murderer already. "If you give me a truthful reply, we'll try to get you the help that you need..." 

  


"Sir, what are you talking about?" Fern finally spoke up, her voice only a whisper. 

  


"Fern, if you do not admit to this, we will be forced to call the authorities." The teacher still kept his voice at calm tone, though it was starting to sound a bit agitated. 

  


"Sir, I'm sorry, but-" 

  


"STOP PLAYING LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW!!!!" Kali burst through the throng of people at that point, wearing a seething expression, tears still running down her cheeks. "YOU KNOW YOU DID IT, SO STOP TRYING TO HIDE IT!!!!" 

  


"Hide what???" Her tone was laced with a stingy emotion. 

  


The teacher cocked his head angrily over to the body. It was the first time that Fern had even noticed the spectacle. As her eyes drifted over the remains, they stopped abruptly when they landed on the rose. Taking a deep breath, she glanced back at the teacher, her eyes suddenly looking mournful. 

  


"Sir, I can honestly say that I did not-" 

  


"LIAR!!!" It was taking almost three other students to hold Kali back. 

  


"Mrs. Leoku, please get me the police." He turned his head back to Fern, though still talking to the female teacher. "Fern's going to need to talk to them for a while." 

  


He gestured for a few other teachers to come forward, and both grabbed one of the girl's arms, obviously thinking she was dangerous. 

  


Fern glanced from one student to another, now wearing a panicked expression, pleading for someone to help her, but all of the kids just watched them begin to lead her away, in the same fashion you would watch a lion at the zoo. 

  


Her eyes finally fell on Kurama, once again, and an icy expression creeped onto her face, her pupils narrowing. 

  


_*Help me* _

  


Kurama, who had been staring blankly at the floor, glanced up again hurriedly. He had heard Fern's voice...in his head...

  


*_Please.....* _

  


_*You're telepathic?*_ Kurama finally 'said' something in return. 

  


_*Yes, but that's not important. Just...help me. I promise that I didn't do it. I would never do anything like this. I'm innocent.*_

  


_*How can I believe you? The rose....* _

  


_*I know. I know that you're confused about me. BUT I WOULDN'T DO THIS!!* _

  


_*But...* _

  


_*....Please.....* _

  


"Come along, Fern." The adult grasping her left arm said icily, staring to drag her along down the hallway. 

  


"Wait." 

  


Every head in the area turned to look at Kurama incredulously. 

  


"Shuichi, what the hell do you mean by 'Wait?'? We all know she did it!!" Even though one male teacher cleared his throat loudly at Kali's crude language, no one made an attempt to acknowledge it any further, since this particular event seemed to be a good excuse. 

  


Ignoring the distraught girl, Kurama instead turned his head to look at Mr. Ukaytauba, who was also wearing a surprised expression. 

  


"Mr. Ukaytauba, I see no evidence whatsoever that Fern is responsible for this murder. I suggest that you release her, or her parents might could sue the school board for brute force used before proven guilty." Kurama sounded just like a lawyer. Some of the more dim-witted students looked a little confused, but a few murmurs of agreement drifted through the air. The red-head decided to continue on.

  


"I might suggest that you do call the police and have them search the immediate area, and _then_ if they find any supporting evidence to the accusation that Fern committed this murder, than proper action can be enforced." 

  


Mr. Ukaytauba just stared at Kurama for a moment, as if trying to figure something out, and then shook his head and waved towards the two teachers still holding Fern's arms. 

  


"Very well." He sighed heavily, not wanting a lawsuit to deal with if the girl was innocent."Fern, you may return to class. But we're going to be keeping a close eye on you. And so will the police." He added on quickly, as if wanting to instill fear in her. 

  


The girl just nodded numbly as her arms were let free. They both fell limply to her side. 

  


Mr. Ukaytauba then clapped his hands firmly. "Okay, all children back to class!! I need you to sit quietly in your desk until further notice, alright?" 

  


Even though a few kids groaned, preferring to stay out in the hall and skip classwork, but a sea of school uniforms trudged back to their classrooms. 

  


Kali dried her damp cheeks with a handkerchief, though wearing an angry expression. As she began to walk down the hallway, following the crowd from a distance, she shot a seething expression back at Fern, who was still drifting along even farther behind and then disappeared back into their classroom. 

  


Kurama sighed, relieved that his excuse had succeeded its purpose. He actually didn't know if everything he said was true, since he had thought things up on the spur of the moment. He was just praying that they didn't look it up...

  


*_You....* _

  


He cocked his head abruptly to look behind him at the auburn-haired girl, who seemed to be trying to go as slow as humanly possible. She was staring straight at him, her expression of pure shock. 

  


_*You actually helped me...*_

  


_*Why wouldn't I?* _

  


_*I didn't think....you would...* _

  


Their 'conversation' was cut off by Mr. Ukaytauba, who placed a firm grip on Fern's shoulder. "Hurry up and get to class now." He said roughly. He then returned to the scene of the murder with the other teachers, who were waiting for the police to arrive patiently.

  


***

  


Kurama had no idea how Fern had been able to get through the school day , much less the rest of math class. He estimated that approximately fifty students had pummeled her with questions left and right, either it being 'how'd ya do it? A knife? C'mon, you can tell me....' Or 'do you have mental problems'? 

  


The rest of the student body that hadn't been included in this estimation made sure to keep their distance, obviously fearing for their safety. A few in class had even asked to switch seats. Even some of the teachers were extra cautious around the mysterious girl. 

  


The police had arrived shortly after the crowd of kids had dispersed, and had investigated the crime scene, interviewing some of the students for their recollections. This seemed to excite many, though, and some made up elaborate stories on how they had 'miraculously grabbed the knife away from Fern and had saved the student's body from further destruction, all without one single scratch'. Kurama found himself laughing at these made-up stories. 

  


But in the end, the police had concluded the case abruptly for a lack of evidence, even though a few would still survey the school for a few weeks to make sure no clue had been looked over. 

  


It was finally the end of the day once again, and the students filed out, all talking excitedly about the events of day. Most didn't even seem to realize that one of their own had lost their life in the brutal onslaught. No one seemed to care. 

  


Kurama had learned about the victim a little bit further from one of the teachers. Her name was Nakurai Mishyu, and she had dreamed of being an actress one day. The kitsune couldn't help but feel sad for the girl whose dream would never come true. 

  


Pulling open his cerulean locker door, he began to gather the books he would need for homework when it was abruptly slammed closed by a mysterious force. Turning around, greatly confused, Kurama found himself staring into the sky-blue eyes of Kali, which were flashing dangerously, a seething expression on her face. 

  


"You listen to me, Shuichi..." She said menacingly, advancing a step forward, her face only an inch or so away from his. "Fern's bad news, and you know what's good for you, you won't help her any more. She makes our school look bad, and if I expect to get into a good college when I'm eighteen, she can't get in my way anymore." She seemed to calm down a bit, but still looked very angry still. "We all know she did it, so why can't you just accept it too????" 

  


Through all of this, Kurama still managed to keep his calm presence intact. "Because a person is innocent until proven guilty." He explained simply. 

  


"You really believe that crap?!?!?" She practically screamed, grabbing the attention of some of the others in the hallway. "Whatever, Shuichi. Just stop helping Fern. That girl has severe problems..." Readjusting the bookbag under her arm, she began to walk away, though flashing one last warning look at him. 

  


Kurama sighed heavily, and then pulled open his locker door once again, grabbing one last schoolbook and sticking it in his brown leather bookbag. He closed the door slowly...

  


"Oh!!" He stumbled a foot backward, startled by the girl standing right beside his locker. She took a step forward, one hand grasping the handle of her bookbag, and the other's fingers running over her golden rose pin. 

  


Fern just stared at him for a moment, and then her gaze drifted down to the floor, where she saw Kurama's own bookbag, which he had dropped in surprise. Without making a noise, she bent down and picked it up, running her hand over the material. She then held it out in front of her, obviously meaning for him to take it back. He did so, but was still too startled to even utter a 'thank-you'. 

  


A few more seconds passed before the girl finally spoke, and it was so quiet that Kurama almost didn't catch it. 

  


"Thank-you." 

  


And with that said, she was gone, on her way down the nearly abandoned hallway hurriedly. She didn't look back, not once. It was clearly all she had needed to say. 

  


Kurama watched her retreated figure until it had exited the double doors, and without even realizing it, a small smile had played across his face....

  


*****************************************************************************

  


Aah, now we're getting into the story-line. This whole story is really like a murder mystery the whole way through. 

  


And no, no matter how many hints you think you may have seen, this is still not a romance. 

  


Be sure to review!!! Reviews inspire me to write faster!!! 

  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. A Strange Day

I know, I know, it's been a long time since I updated...gomen!! 

  


And sorry, but I can't kill off Kali and Himoko, they play very important parts to the story, as you will soon see....

  


Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, because if I did, why the hell would I be here writing fanfiction?!?!?! I do own Fern, Kali, and Himoko, though^^__

  


_*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^_

  


_"Run, child!! You have to run if you want to live!!!" _

  


_"But, momma, I don't want to go out there alone. I wanna stay with you..." _

  


_"You can't!!" _

  


_"But-" _

  


_"Petal, there's no time for arguing! She's approaching us as we speak!!" _

  


_"But-" _

  


_"NO BUTS!! Just run..run for your life...." _

  


_"Momma..." _

  


_".....just go....please...." _

  


_*****************************************************************************_

  


I've relived that memory so many times....it's burned into the cores of my mind, and will remain there until the day I perish, which actually may not be too long from now, if I don't keep my guard up.__

  


But now is not the time to think about that. 

  


Now is the time to venture to that 'school' building. I have no idea why I keep going there every day...it's not like I actually have to...but...it just makes me feel safe to know that I'm in the company of others and not all alone. __

  


I rise from the soft area of green grass that has served as my bed for the night, my mind filled with only thoughts of how I'm going to carry myself today as I walk through those narrow hallways filled with chattering students who have suddenly become terrified by the mere sight of me. 

  


Strange how the simple murder of a ningen can upset people so much. 

  


But what even confuses me more is the fact that everyone immediately chose me as the prime suspect without even so much as a second wasted on trying to interrogate any other students. Just because I was out in the hall at that time, only because I was unfamiliar to them...

  


No matter how much they will try to blame me, they still cannot change one thing: my innocense. My hands remain clean, no blood stains to be found. There is no sharp blade hidden away in my school blouse. 

  


I have killed no one. 

  


They don't care, though. They seem to think that they're going to change what is already incorrect somehow. That they're going to warp my ideas so that I actually believe that I am the murderer. 

  


It's almost pathetic. 

  


But, alas, as long as I keep attending this school, they can overpower me, and there's nothing I can do about it...

  


Oh no, with all these excess thinking, I'm going to be late...

  


I grab the dark brown handle of my school bag and immediately begin sprinting through the trees, my red tresses flowing wildly behind me. I'm heading towards the road, though I've purposely taken the long route there, even though I know a shorter way.

  


No one will mind if I'm a little late...

  


Actually, maybe it's better if I'm late, since then, everyone will already be in class, and no one will be able to gawk at me as I walk past. 

  


You know, I would think that at least the teachers would be on my side. They're older, and are _supposed _to be more understanding and mature and calm-headed. But for some strange reason, they all hung on to the every word of that blonde-haired girl who was sobbing uncontrollably. 

  


I really don't like her. And she doesn't seem to like me either, considering the fact that she blamed me for the murder of that poor girl. 

  


And everyone believed her. 

  


It would of been awful if the teachers had actually gone through with their idea of bringing me to talk with the police. They would of surely asked me who my parents were and what my address currently was....questions that I cannot answer.

  


But luckily, they decided not to. 

  


And it was all because of him.

  


That boy with hair the color of blood...I don't even know his name....wait a moment, yes I do....well, his last name anyway...

  


Minamino. Yes, that's it. 

  


The only one who knows my secret. 

  


The only one who's ever helped me. 

  


And I don't understand it at all...

  


I never did anything for him....I only spoke to him when it was completely necessary...I screamed at him, and even had the urge to slap him when he turned up in my garden....I avoided him relentlessly...

  


And yet, he still has this strange desire to be kind to me. 

  


I've finally arrived at the school building, after a few blocks of running at top speed. It seems so tall when you stand right outside its doors, like it's a monster, waiting for you to meander carelessly into its open mouth so it can tear your skin apart and then spit out your bare bones.

  


Strange...I think I just described what school actually is to many, including myself. __

  


I remain motionless for a moment, since from my position, I can see through the small glass window of the front door, and there are a sea of school uniforms everywhere I look. It's obvious the bell hasn't run yet. 

  


Just my luck. I should of gone a bit slower...

  


Someone suddenly brushes against me, causing me to stumble forward, surprised. When I regain my balance, I notice that it was two female students, both wearing identical nervous looks as they stare at me, frozen in their places. 

  


I guess they're afraid that if they make a move for the door, I'll slice their arms off..

  


Feh. Ningens.

  


"If you're too stupid to go first, then I'll be glad to." I mutter under my breath, though I don't know if they heard me or not as I shove open the entrance door and make my way in, knowing that the second my presence was noticed, I would be gawked at by my fellow 'peers'. 

  


Would you look at that, I guessed right.

  


A curtain of silence seemed to settle over the nonchalant conversations being held a moment ago as everyone's attention immediately turns to me, myself, and I as I head towards my locker, swinging my bookbag back and forth. 

  


I struggle not to make eye contact with these animals, but some of their whispers travel to my ears, and I hear the names 'killer, murderer, freak, pyscho...' Obviously talking about me...

  


Oh well. It doesn't really bother me what they think. At least I know that I didn't do anything. 

  


I continue on my way down the hall silently, keeping both of my eyes focused on the end of the hallway. Don't encourage them by glancing their way, I tell myself over and over again...

  


The loud creak of a door open emits from behind me, though I don't dare glance behind me. If it had been possible for that hallway to have grown even more silent, then it did. At least I had heard almost non-existent whispers before, but now, the only sound came from my shoes as pushed against the dark gray carpet of the school. 

  


What had come out of that certain door that everyone was so paralyzed by??

  


I get my answer when I hear her name whispered so faintly that I almost don't catch it. 

  


'Kali...'

  


Kali?!? Who was that? Why is everyone so-

  


Wait a second. I remember that name....that golden-haired girl...the one that blamed me for the murder of that ningen...

  


Yep, it must be her. Who else could make the entire student body grow dead silent? Everyone saw how she practically erupted at me for no apparent reason yesterday...they, like me, are probably expecting her to say something mean to me, or worse, even hit me...

  


I hear her rapid footsteps behind me, and I can tell she's trying to catch up...I dare not turn my head the least bit, though...I don't want to seem interested in what's she trying to do, though I am wondering...

  


She's right beside me. Though my eyes are still sternly focused on the hallway, the occasional flash of her red school uniform involuntarily catches my eye. My mind is working overtime, trying to figure out what her plan is...

  


I finally build up my courage enough to cast a small sideward glance at her, and do so, though only for a few seconds at the most. She's wearing a expression of stone, and is staring straight down the hallway not unlike me. Her golden tresses flow behind her carelessly, and she seems to not even notice that I'm beside her. 

  


Maybe I'm incorrect. Maybe she's not going to try anything...

  


My foot suddenly slams against something hard, causing me to lose my balance, my bookbag thrown from my hand, landing a few feet in front of me with a loud thud. I let out a small cry of surprise as my body slams against the hard ground, both of my knees scraping against the carpet hard. 

  


Okay, so maybe I was wrong...

  


As I slowly rise, I let out a small cry of pain as I put pressure on my knees, which I notice are badly scraped. 

  


Her...

  


I brush red tendrils of hair away from my face, Kali's cruel laughter echoing through my ears. She had planned the whole thing, it seemed, just to be mean to me...how warped she must be.

  


"How clumsy of you, freak." She sneers, though still laughing quietly to herself as she begins to walk farther down the hallway, purposely stepping on my bookbag as I pull myself to my feet, trying to wipe away the blood on my knees.

  


There are a million names I wish to call her at the moment, but I'm not going to waste my breath on a insignificant being like herself. Brushing myself off, I briskly grab my bookbag, and continue on my way to my locker, trying to ignore the stinging sensation that runs through my body with each step I take...

  


*^*

  


It's during lunch now. I don't eat anything, of course, and how can I? I have no money to purchase any. 

  


I enjoy sitting outside during this time, usually reading a interesting book that I picked up at the library they have. I didn't used to like to read, but now it seems like a whole new world has opened up. The world of fantasy, of romance, of science fiction...I had no idea what I was missing this entire time....

  


Today, I'm enjoying a novel about a princess and her trials as she tries to escape her burden. She must be very unhappy, being cooped up like that...it sounds dreadful. 

  


My reading experience is suddenly interrupted, though, as the book is abruptly wrenched from my hand by some unknown force. 

  


"What do you think you're doing?!?!" Now usually, I'm a calm person, but when someone decides in their puny little mind that they're going to try and take my book away, and I can get pretty ticked-off. And that's exactly what I'm about to do to this girl standing in front of me, my library book clutched tightly in her hand. 

  


"Giving you what you deserve." Her voice has a such a cold tone, that my upset attitude is immediately overshadowed by a curious one. Why does this girl sound so angry?? 

  


I let out a small yelp as she suddenly lunges out and grabs my arm, beginning to drag me behind her. She's actually quite strong for a ningen, and her grasp is so tight that I can't break out of it. So I resort to my next option: Yell. 

  


"What are you doing?!? Let me go!" This seems so out of character for someone such as myself, but it seems as though this girl does not have good intentions, so it's really the only I _can _do. 

  


She doesn't answer, though, continuing to drag little ole' helpless me by the arm. Strangely enough, I take this time to study her. Maybe I know this girl...have I done anything to her in the short time that I've been here? 

  


Well...she has long black hair that cuts off in the center of her back, and I remember her eyes being a crimson shade the first time I had saw her, when she had grabbed my book...hmm...

  


Nope, no names are coming to mind. 

  


So I _don't _know her...then what does she want with me?

  


She finally pulls me around the corner of the school building roughly, and before I can react, slams me up against the brick wall of the building. 

  


I'm starting to grow worried. This is not looking good, and if she tries to harm me, I'm going to have to resort to something that could kill her...

  


NO. I can't. I would give away my secret, and I can never do that, no matter what. 

  


I'm going to have to just take whatever she throws at me, no matter how bad it hurts...

  


"Listen to me..." She growls, a venomous glare in her eyes. "You're going to confess to the murder of Naturai Mishyu." It wasn't a question, but a statement. 

  


"But I didn't do it..." I speak quietly, trying to retain my calmness. It's not working. This girl is obviously not too right in the head...

  


"I don't give a damn if you did it or not!!" She cries, slamming her hand against the brick area right beside my head, causing me to wince uncontrollably. "Am I going to have to hurt you to get you to do what I say?!?" 

  


She brings her arm back, curling her fingers into a fist. I know exactly what's coming next, but I'm just going to have to take it....even if I don't want to, there's no other way...

  


She suddenly starts to hurl her fist towards my face, and I immediately shut my eyes tightly, waiting for the impact...

  


A few seconds pass...nothing's happening....maybe she's just building up more power...

  


Five more seconds fly by, and I'm still staring into the oblivious black of my eyelids, waiting for something that seems like it's never going to come, oddly enough...

  


Did she change her mind? Is she not going to hit me? 

  


Building up what little courage I can find in myself, I cautiously open my eyes only to lay eyes on the back of a large hand only an inch away from my face. At first, I think it's the girl's hand, but then I realize that this strange hand is _grasping _her clenched fist, holding it back. As I transfer my gaze over to the black-haired female, I can see clearly that she is just as surprised as I am.

  


I thought nobody cared in this school cared about me, so who is-

  


My stare abruptly moves over the side of my body, and my eyes immediately grow wide.

  


It's...him. 

  


"Himoko, what do you think you're doing?" He asks calmly, allowing her clenched fist to drop to her side limply. 

  


"I-I wasn't doing anything, Shuichi..." She lies through her teeth, and I feel the sudden need to call her an obscene name, but I remain silent as the red-haired boy looks her over.

  


"You better get back to your friends, Himoko, before I decide to tell the principal that you've been attempting to hit another student." His voice is so smooth, though I can sense a small tinge of anger as he gestures towards the chattering group of students on the other side of the school, still enjoying their lunch period. 

  


The girl, whose name is Himoko, only nods, and then sprints as fast as her legs will carry her back towards the crowd of teenagers. 

  


I would like to stick my tongue out at her, but I'm definitely too mature for that. Instead, I avert my gaze to the ground. Though I seem to have no problem talking to other students, ever since that day he had arrived in my garden, I have been incapable of talking to...Shuichi..yes, that's his name, I think.... I guess that, by acknowledging him, I'll be admitting to myself that someone else knows my secret, and I just can't do that yet. 

  


"Are you alright?" I hear him ask me. I start to open my mouth to answer, but then I shut it again, still too nervous to even say one word. I expect that he'll ask me again, but I'm suddenly surprised...

  


"It's alright if you don't want to talk to me right now. I understand. But when you do, I'll be ready." Completely shocked by this statement, I glance up at him with a dumbfounded expression only to be greeted with a warm smile before he turns and begins to walk away, back towards the students who are beginning to file in. 

  


He actually understood...I can't believe it....

  


You know what? Maybe....maybe it would be alright if someone knew my secret....it would give me someone to confide in....someone to talk to....and dare I say? It would give me...a friend...

  


I have decided. Mental preparation, here I come!!

  


*^*^*

  


Okay, after spending two periods going through extreme mental preparation, I think I'm actually ready to confront Shuichi about my secret. The last period bell has just rung, and now I'm out in the hall, trying to avoid the mass of people moving around me, as well as trying to calm my nerves, which feel as though they're about to explode. 

  


Clutching my bookbag tightly, I slowly begin to make my way through the crowd of chattering students, heading towards the front of the building. If I'm not mistaken, that's where his locker is located. 

  


I'm managing to avoid the commotion alright...luckily for me, it's hard for my peers to distinguish the murderer when everyone's only trying to get home as fast as humanly possible. 

  


Where the heck is that boy? I'm not going to let all my mental preparation be wasted!!

  


Aah, there he is. His red hair is practically a beacon among all of these blond and browns. He's grabbing some books from his locker. 

  


Um...suddenly, this queasy feeling rushes over my body. Maybe I'm not ready for this, maybe I need more preparation before I just walk up to him and say 'Hey, how's it going?' 

  


But....If I don't do it now, then when???

  


Okay, feet, do your thing...one step forward....foorrrwwaaarrrddd....no, not backwards!! Go forward!!! 

  


Oh no, he's shutting his locker door. WHY WON'T MY FEET WORK?!?!

  


Oh, it's no use. No matter what my mind thinks, I'm still not ready to say outloud that someone knows my secret.

  


Turning away, I begin to walk down the hall dejectedly, embarrassed by my own cowardness...

  


Well, there's always tomorrow...

  


*^*^*

  


^Third Person^

  


"Minamino-san!" 

  


Kurama turned his head curiously only to see one of his teachers hurrying towards him, a stack of papers piled high in her arms. 

  


"I'm glad I caught you." She panted, balancing the papers in one arm long enough to wipe a large bead of sweat off her forehead. 

  


"What can I do for you, Mrs. Senyu?" he asked politely, smiling kindly at the female teacher as she managed to grab three papers off the top of her large stack and hold them out in front of her.

  


"Well, as you know, we've had a lot of new students transferring here lately." She started to speak in a calm voice. "And it turns out that finals are going to be earlier than we expected, so there won't be a lot of time for these students to prepare..." 

  


"Yes?" Kurama was wondering where this was leading up to. 

  


"Well, some of the teachers were wondering if you would be willing to volunteer some of your spare time and tutor one of these students on the material that will be in the finals." At this point, she handed him the three sheets, which the red-haired male noticed were profiles of the students. 

  


"It's your choice who you would like to tutor. You might already have preferences..." She spoke as she watched the bright student glance over the three profiles. 

  


_Kali, Himoko, and Fern..._Kurama thought to himself sternly, glancing over each of the detailed files...

  


The three girls that he needed to investigate...

  


It was almost too perfect...

  


"Uh, Mrs. Senya..." He began slowly, handing the profiles back to the teacher, "If it would be alright with you, I would like to instead of tutoring one, tutor all three." 

  


The teacher practically face-faulted at this suggestion. "REALLY?? You would tutor all of them, Minamino-san?!?" She cried, obviously surprised. 

  


"Of course, Mrs. Senya, I would like nothing better than to help them prepare." He whispered kindly.

  


_...And figure out which one is Kirya...._

  


"Well...you can just keep their profiles and schedule study times on your own, then!!" She spoke brightly, thrusting the papers back into his hands. "Be sure to prepare them fully!" She spoke once last time before heading down the hallway, leaving Kurama standing there with the three profiles clutched in his hand.

  


_This will be simple. Now all I have to do is interrogate the three girls separately, and I'll be sure to discover who is Kirya..._

  


Quite pleased with his idea, Kurama headed towards the door leading out of the school, swinging his bookbag back and forth happily....

  


****************************************

  


O_O This chapter was actually pretty boring in my opinion, but I needed to transfer over to the idea of tutoring. 

  


Things are getting very confusing...Himoko threatens Fern to confess to the murder, even if she didn't do it....Kali cruelly trips Fern and calls her a freak...

  


Who could the ACTUAL murderer be??

  


Reviews please!! 

  


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